


i don’t need anyone (i just need everyone and then some)

by serenesapphic



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Nervous Carol, Parent/Teacher, carolmaria
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-03-13 09:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18937831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenesapphic/pseuds/serenesapphic
Summary: Carol teaches the intelligent and sweet Monica in her English class. Soon enough, Maria comes in the picture and consumes Carol's world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! sorry, it's been a while. there's been a lot going on for me recently. but i'm back and i'm super excited about this fic! I have plot pretty mapped out but please leave any suggestions in the comments! all feedback is appreciated. thank so much for reading :)
> 
> (title is from clementine by halsey. it's basically my inspiration behind their entire dynamic)

Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway as students rushed to their classes. A couple of notoriously late kids scrambled into their seats a couple of minutes after the bell rang. It was the first period on a Monday morning, and it was obvious no one wanted to be there. The usually vibrant energy of the sixth graders had become tired and slow. The room was dreary, much like the grey and misty weather outside. Pencils tapped and knees bounced as the students grew impatient.

Suddenly, the door flew open. A severely disheveled Carol Danvers stepped into the classroom. Her blonde hair was messy and out, as opposed to its normal ponytail. Her glasses rested uncomfortably on the bridge of her nose. The button-up shirt she wore was untucked, and her black slacks were wrinkled. It had been a hell of a morning.

“Good morning students!” she exclaimed, feigning cheeriness.

She was mostly met with faint mumbles and sleepy smiles. Carol sighed. She made her way to her desk, placing her bag on top of it. This day was bound to be a disaster. She’d forgotten to charge her phone before bed last night, causing it to die while she was sleeping and preventing her alarm from going off. When Carol woke up with only fifteen minutes to not only get ready but to make the ten-minute commute to her job, she knew things were off to a bad start. She decided to skip the light makeup she usually put on and threw on the fitted, grey button-up shirt sitting at the front of her closet. After pulling on her signature black slacks and pointed flats, Carol realized she wouldn't have time to put in her contacts and reluctantly pulled her glasses out of a drawer in her nightstand. They were black and rectangular, and Carol had always hated wearing them. But she was running far too late to care. She arrived at school just three minutes late after speeding the entire way there.

“How was everyone's weekend?” Carol asked distractedly. She was setting everything out on her desk as quickly as possible. She'd already lost far too much time. She hadn't even noticed that no one responded to the question when she began her lesson.

“Everyone take out a sheet of paper please.” There were groans throughout the classroom. Carol rolled her eyes. “Oh no! A quiz! On a Monday morning! How dare I!” she mocked. Her patience was already thin.

Slowly, the students took out paper and waited. Carol looked out at them and offered a small smile. She wanted to tell them that she was tired of this too. That this daily routine of quizzes and review and reading on an endless cycle was killing her. That she would rather be doing something more fun, more independent than sitting in a room full of 11-year-olds. But, she couldn't, so Carol sucked it up and asked the first question.

“How does Jesse feel about his teacher, Ms. Edmunds?”

Everyone's heads ducked down as they wrote down their version of the answer. Carol scanned the room again, checking to see which students were cheating.

“Eyes on your own paper, please,” she said harshly, and when a certain student took another glance at a paper that certainly wasn't his, she specified, “I'm talking to you, Eric.”

Eric’s face went red as he quickly averted his gaze. Carol asked the next question.

“Why is May Belle treated differently than Jess by their parents?” No one cheated that time.

The class period went by at a grueling pace. She cut the quiz down from ten questions to five, pitying her students. Then, the routine was the same. Everyone took out their copies of Bridge to Terabithia and she walked around, checking for annotations. It was about 50/50, as per usual. Most of the kids took her class seriously, but only because she was intimidating when she wanted to be. She also knew that marking up a book wasn’t always a fair representation of the student’s effort or comprehension. So, she didn't push it. After that, they went over the events of last night’s reading. Getting students to contribute was like pulling teeth, but they made it through. Carol decided to let the kids go a couple of minutes early. Mainly so she could prepare for the next period, but she also knew they'd appreciate a moment's rest.

“Alright, I'll see you all tomorrow,” she said tiredly, and the classroom was filled with noises of scraping chairs and slamming books. A few of them offered quiet words of gratitude as they bolted. Within seconds, nineteen students were gone, and one was left. Monica Rambeau sat silently in the front row, her nose deep in a book. Carol found herself genuinely smiling for the first time that day. Monica was her best student. She had the highest grades, the most class participation, and the brightest personality. A class period with her made the rest of the day far more bearable. Carol almost felt bad for interrupting Monica’s reading, but her next class would be starting soon.

“Monica?” The young girl’s head snapped up. “I dismissed early, you're free to go.”

Monica looked a bit alarmed. “Oh! Sorry, Ms. Danvers. I didn't notice,” she responded, hurriedly getting her stuff together. In her rush, Monica dropped the book she was reading. It hit the floor with a loud thud, and Carol immediately recognized it as a book that wasn’t _Bridge to Terabithia_. It was much thicker. She got up from her chair to help.

“Here you go,” she said, picking the novel up off of the ground. She flipped it over and read the title aloud, “To Kill A Mockingbird. That's pretty advanced, Monica. In theme and vocabulary.”

Monica blinked up at her.

“Not that you can't read it! I’m all for reading anything that you can understand. It doesn’t seem to be a library book though, where’d you get it from?”

“My mom,” she answered simply. Carol’s smile immediately widened. Maria Rambeau was the most beautiful woman she’d ever laid eyes on. The simple thought of her excited Carol, in more ways than one. Her skin was a smooth mocha, and Carol wanted to run her hand over every inch of it. Her smile was wide and bright, and Maria was always smiling. Her presence was strong yet welcoming, comfortable almost. She was the first parent to welcome Carol when she’d begun teaching that year. Of course, it helped that her daughter was beyond intelligent, as well as a sweetheart. But there was something magnetic about Monica’s mother all on her own. From the moment she met Maria, Carol found herself always wanting to spend more time with her.

“Ms. Danvers?” Monica said confusedly, interrupting Carol's thoughts.

“Oh, I’m sorry! It’s been a long morning,” she responded hesitantly.

“It’s fine.” Monica gave her award-winning smile and gently took the book from Carol’s hands. She held it carefully like it was precious cargo. Monica made her way out of the classroom, leaving Carol with furrowed eyebrows and an idea brewing.

“Monica, wait!.” The young girl spun around with the same inquisitive gaze she’d seemed to have throughout the entire conversation. “Do you think that, uh, your mom would be willing to meet with me? To talk about how advanced you are, maybe even give you more challenging assignments?”

Monica’s eyes brightened and she practically began to bounce. She was always up for a challenge. Carol may not have been overly preparatory, but she was observant. Monica hadn’t had trouble with a single concept all year. Everything came easy for her. So, a more complex course would definitely be something to look forward to.

“Yeah! She’d love that!” Monica responded with a higher-pitched voice than usual.

 _She’d love that_ , Carol thought. Why would she love it? Had she mentioned her to Monica? Did Maria talk about her often? Carol didn’t let herself get carried away. She was Monica’s English teacher, she probably came up in conversation all the time. She was overthinking it.

“Great, I’ll email her tonight.”

Monica nodded rapidly and waved at Carol before leaving the room. Carol walked back to her desk and sat down in her swivel chair. She was going to meet with Maria Rambeau. A whole period of time with just the two of them. _Talking about Monica_ , she reminded herself. The meeting was about Monica’s progress, nothing more. Maria would never give her a chance anyway. Carol had convinced herself that Maria was way out of her league about a week into the school year. Until now, she’d chosen to admire from afar. She’d spent her whole life trying to avoid heartbreak, and not even Maria could change that.

The students in Carol’s next period class began to stream into the classroom. She wiped the grin off of her face, not wanting any suspicions. She still had an entire school day to get through. Four more periods of virtually the exact same lesson to teach to students that would forget every word she said the moment they left the building. But, now she had something to look forward to. A dash of color thrown onto her greyscale life. Carol taught with a pep in her step, and she didn’t even realize it.

The next two periods went by without a hitch. Besides a few students seemingly thinking she was blind and choosing the middle of her class to scroll through Instagram. She had four confiscated cell phones locked in her desk by noon. Finally, lunch came.

Carol strolled to the Teacher’s Lounge, quietly humming _La Vie en Rose_. It wasn’t until she opened and closed the door behind her that she realized she’d completely forgotten to pack a lunch. Carol rolled her eyes and slumped into a chair at the long table in the middle of the beige room. About a dozen other teachers were around the room. A couple waited for the microwave, some sat at the table already eating, and the rest were engaged in uninteresting conversations. Carol sat quietly; she had never quite fit in with the staff here. She didn’t know why exactly, they just seemed to be in different headspaces. They had a passion for teaching, it was what they loved to do. Carol enjoyed children, and literature was always her favorite subject growing up. It was why she’d chosen the job. But she wanted more. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life lecturing preteens on the importance of symbolism and personification. She just didn’t know what else to do. Fortunately, Carol made one close friend out of the teachers at her school.

Minerva Summers quickly took the empty seat next to Carol. They’d become fast friends after the first couple of days. Minerva, who went by Minnie, was the Social Studies teacher at Cedar Middle School. She was new that year, just like Carol, and an aspiring artist. Minnie had always dreamed of becoming a professional painter, but funds got in the way. Her art wasn’t selling, and she had to keep herself afloat. So, she switched her major to History halfway through getting her Bachelor’s degree and worked her ass off to graduate on time. Minnie went back for her Master’s and began teaching as soon as she finished. She loved the study of history and society, but it wasn’t supposed to be her career. So, her and Carol bonded over their dissatisfaction and even hung out outside of school. Minnie had been raised in Louisiana, but Carol had just moved there. She showed Carol around the best bars, the best stores, and they often spent nights at each other’s apartments.

“Forgot your lunch again?” Minnie asked with a smirk.

“Maybe,” Carol mumbled. Minnie just laughed and handed her one of the two turkey and cheese sandwiches she’d brought, as well as a bag of chips. Carol smiled gratefully, Minnie had probably anticipated this. Monday’s were always Carol’s worst days.

They entertained casual conversation while they ate. How many phones they’d taken, how many kids they’d caught cheating, the lowest test they’d graded. Carol refrained from mentioning Monica because it would likely end in her discussing Maria, and she had no idea how Minnie would respond to that. Time ran out far too quickly, and before she knew it, Carol was back in her classroom for the last two periods of the day.

The children filed in moments before the bell rung, scurrying into their chairs. Carol pretended not to notice the children that slipped in a couple of moments late. She pushed her glasses up on her face and finished grading the quiz she’d started on. When the noises quieted, she looked up and found herself grinning. Maria hadn’t left her mind for a second. But, she had a class to teach. She could deal with those thoughts tonight. Carol stood up and began her lesson.

Two hours later, the sweet sound of the final bell resounded throughout the building and Carol practically threw her things into her bag before locking up and heading out. She quickly walked to her car, silently counting the minutes it would take for her to arrive home. Every red light took three hours in her mind, but finally, Carol was locking and unlocking her front door. She made a beeline for the small desk by the window in her living room. She woke up her computer and created a new email addressed to Maria. Then, her fingers froze.

Carol realized she’d rushed home without any plans for how she would phrase the email. She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. This was the first scheduled interaction she was going to have with Maria. Her heart began to beat faster. Carol cracked her knuckles.

“You got this, Carol. You can do this! It’s just Maria.”

She scoffed. It wasn’t _just Maria_. It was _the_ Maria Rambeau. The woman of her dreams. She’d convinced herself nothing would become fo them, but there was always a glimmer of hope she couldn’t quite smother. Either way, Carol was excited to see her. She refocused on the email.

_Good Afternoon Ms. Rambeau,_

Ms.? Mrs.? Carol had never noticed a wedding ring, but that didn’t mean anything for certain. She attempted to crack her knuckles again but ended up with dull pain where the release would be. She cleared her throat and continued.

_I hope your day has gone well._

Was that too much? Of course, she did hope her day had gone well. She was only being polite. It’s fine.

_I was having a conversation with Monica today when she mentioned that she was reading To Kill A Mockingbird._

That wasn’t entirely true though, was it? They hadn’t had a conversation about the book, she’d picked it up off the ground and questioned it. Carol deleted the sentence.

 _I noticed that Monica is reading “To Kill A Mockingbird” in addition to our class text, “Bridge to Terabithia.” While it is a classic, “To Kill A Mockingbird” explores advanced themes that I have yet to teach. Monica’s interest and obvious comprehension of the novel interests me_.

That was better. It sounded smooth. She came off as intelligent.

_Would you be available to meet about Monica’s progress in my English Class? I have openings from 3:00 - 6:45 tomorrow as well as Thursday._

That was all she really wanted to say. How did she close it, though?

_Thank you._

Too dull.

_Thank you!_

There we go.

_I hope to see you soon._

_-Carol Danvers_

Carol blinked at the screen. She was terrified. It was a simple email, but it was the beginning of a longer conversation with a woman she couldn’t stop thinking about. She scanned the message for typos. The sooner she got it out, the sooner Maria would respond. Carol moved the cursor over the send button, closed her eyes, and clicked. It was gone. Just like that.

In an attempt to distract herself, she picked up her phone off of where she’d tossed it onto the couch. There was a text from Minnie asking where she’d been. Carol swore under her breath. They usually walk to their cars together. It’d completely slipped her mind. She shot back a lazy excuse, claiming she was tired. She checked her computer. No response. It was going to be a long night.

 

 


	2. i’m just the sucker who let you fill her mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> maria and carol formally meet. but only to discuss monica, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! i’m so sorry this took so long. to be entirely honest, i’m most excited to write this once they actually get together, so these beginning chapters feel a bit slow to me. but don’t worry, the wait won’t be long!! thanks for reading, enjoy lovelies. oh also i’m @/briesmacallan on twitter if you have questions or anything!

It was 7:32 PM when Maria responded. 

 

Carol was seated criss-cross applesauce on her armchair with the chewed-up cap of her favorite red pen still between her teeth. She was  _ still  _ grading today’s reading quizzes. If there was one thing she didn’t anticipate about teaching, it was the insane amount of grading she had to do. There were about twenty kids in each of her five classes. With somewhere around 100 quizzes to grade a day, she often found herself swamped with work. It did help her kick her procrastination habit, though. Still, she could barely focus on the simplistic answers with Maria on her mind. She graded faster than usual in an attempt to keep her hands moving. Finally, after what felt like days of anticipation, a notification sounded from her computer. Carol jumped up out of the chair, a few heavily-marked assessments fluttering to the ground in her wake. 

 

_ Good Evening Ms. Danvers, _

 

_ I am available at 4:00 tomorrow. Though the meeting can’t last very long, I have an appointment across town at 5:30. I’ll see you then. Thank you. _

 

_ -Maria Rambeau _

 

Carol slumped in her chair. The response was so short, so dry. She felt like she was wedging her way into Maria’s busy schedule. It made sense that a woman like her would have things to do. Carol had let her mind cycle through all kinds of replies, and this wasn’t one of them. From the few times she’d seen Maria in person, she seemed warm. Maybe the detached vibe was just over the computer. That’s what Carol had to tell herself to ease the oncoming disappointment. 

 

The meeting was about Monica anyways, not her pesky crush. It was important to both women that Monica thrives, and that would just have to be enough. Carol rested her head on her hand. She felt down all of a sudden. Hours of buildup only to find out that Maria hadn’t even given her a second thought. At least, it seemed that way. It almost felt like a breakup. Any possibility of a relationship might as well have disappeared. Carol continued to catastrophize the situation until she couldn’t take it anymore. 

 

It was around 8:30, and she had lost all motivation to grade papers. She hadn’t eaten since lunch and it definitely felt like a pizza and rom-com kind of night. It sounds childish, but Carol needed comfort. In her little time in Louisiana, the only actual friend she’d made was Minerva. But this was something she wasn't sure she was ready to bring up to her yet. So, cheesy movies and calories would be her best friend for the night. 

 

Thirty minutes later, a sausage and olive pizza was burning her tongue and she was in the beginning stages of watching  _ Imagine Me and You.  _ She decided she would stop pining over Maria Rambeau. She was  _ way  _ out of Carol’s league, had a child (that Carol loved but that’s beside the point), and had an entire life already constructed without Carol in it. They’d both be better off living separate lives with Monica as their only connection. A year from now, Monica wouldn’t even be in her class and the Rambeau family would be an afterthought. She would simply get over Maria.

 

Carol couldn’t have been more wrong. 

 

The next morning was a slow one. She’d actually gotten to school on time, but she felt drained, more so than usual. She was at war with her heart and mind, all while teaching the lifelong significance of pubescent friendships. Not even Monica’s positive mood and insightful comments could lift her spirits.  The hours dragged on at a painful rate. Even Minnie mentioned something at lunch after they’d eaten in slightly uncomfortable silence for fifteen minutes. 

 

“Are you good?” she questioned kindly.

 

“Yeah,” Carol offered a small smile, “Just tired. It’s been a long week.”

 

“It’s Tuesday.” 

 

Carol chuckled. “My point exactly.”

 

Minnie still looked concerned. “Well, if it’s ever anything more, you know I’m here to talk.”

 

“I know.” Carol bumped her shoulder and nodded softly. “I know.”

 

She still wasn’t entirely sure why she didn’t tell Minnie what was going on. It just didn’t feel right. But, being reminded that she still had support from a friend helped. Plus, whether Carol wanted to admit it to herself or not, she was excited to see Maria. Regardless of how much she wished it, crushes don’t disappear overnight. Maria was still the woman of her dreams. Any time spent with her could never go to waste. The more she actually thought about meeting with Maria, the more Carol was reminded that being around her would automatically make her feel better.

 

She found herself counting down the minutes along with her students at the end of her last period class. They took turns glancing at the clock when they thought the other wasn’t looking. Carol asked some open-ended questions about the theme of  _ Bridge to Terabithia _ to round off the class. The bell rang soon enough, and the children dispersed quickly. 

 

Carol began to pick at her nails, all she could do now was wait. 

 

She decided to shoot a text to Minnie telling her that she had a parent meeting to avoid any concern. Her friend replied quickly, simply saying “Ok.” Carol had about 45 minutes left after clearing off her desk and going to the bathroom to waste time. She decided to write out some talking points for the meeting. She needed to be professional, after all. Nothing too detailed, Maria mentioned she wouldn’t have a lot of time. That took 15 minutes. Her stomach began to grumble towards the end of her notetaking, so she took out the chocolate chip cookies she’d packed knowing she’d get hungry. Carol smiled to herself, chocolate chip cookies had always been her favorite. They reminded her of her childhood; running downstairs, drawn to the kitchen by the scent of homemade cookies. Even when she and her mother fought, which was often, Lisa Danvers would always make cookies on Sunday night. They felt like home. 

 

A soft ringing interrupted Carol’s trip down memory lane and she realized Maria would arrive in five minutes. She turned off the alarm and ran to the bathroom to make sure she looked decent. Fortunately, she’d had time to put in contacts this morning so a thin layer of mascara was the only eye accessory she wore. She wore a black and white striped button-up shirt with burgundy dress pants. She’d even put on a slightly darker shade of lipstick than usual. Her hair rested in its usual high ponytail. Carol smirked as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked damn good. And so what if Maria notices? It’s not her fault. She was back in her room by 3:58, and she grabbed a notepad and a random pen to make herself look busy.

 

Moments later, there was a knock on her door, and Carol looked up as nonchalantly as she could manage. There was no point, though, her breath caught in her throat anyway. Maria Rambeau was standing in her doorway, with a small smile on her face that immediately made Carol recall the warmth she exuded. She wore a flowy, navy blue blouse tucked into slim-fitting white work pants with shiny black heels. Carol felt her resolve crumble. Nevertheless, she stood and beckoned Maria inside. She’d set a chair in front of her desk for her to sit in.

 

“Hi, Ms. Rambeau! I’m Carol Danvers.” She wondered momentarily if it made sense to use her full name, Maria obviously already knew who she was. If Maria minded, she didn’t show it.

 

“Hi, Ms. Danvers,” she replied with a smile. Her voice could only be described as powerful. It was full of bass, but also an edge of compassion. Carol was already in a trance. She stood to shake Maria’s hand before they both sat down. Carol cleared her throat and smoothed over a couple of papers.

 

“So! Monica is honestly an amazing student. She has the highest grades in her class, by far. Her questions always further the discussion. I don’t think I’ve ever received an assignment late from her. It’s spectacular, really.”

 

Maria beamed. Carol could feel the pride the woman had for her daughter. It made her heart warm. Well, warmer.

 

“That’s great to hear. Even if it is unsurprising. I’ve always known Monica was wise beyond her years and she’s honestly flourished in your class so far, Miss Danvers. She talks about you often.”

 

Carol’s mouth opened and then closed again. She knew Monica had made a lasting impression on her but the opposite never even seemed to be a possibility. She felt honored that Monica enjoyed her class. Not to mention the fact that if Monica talked about her, Maria does as well. Even if it’s only in response. Carol swallowed and began again.

 

“That’s…so sweet. She really is a joy. And speaking of, I was really intrigued by her choice of literature.  _ To Kill a Mockingbird _ isn’t a light read.”

 

“Not in the slightest,” Maria chuckled and Carol stopped breathing, “I’m well-aware of the depth of the novel. It was my favorite book growing up. I’ve read it countless times. And the other day Monica took it off of the bookshelf and refused to put it down. She had so many questions and new interests and - I saw in her eyes that the book had given her that same exhilaration it had given me growing up. The contrast between naive youth and traumatized adulthood. The blatant prejudice of several minorities. It still feels fresh and new. No offense Ms. Danvers, but  _ Bridge to Terabithia _ just wasn’t speaking to her on this level. I saw no reason to discourage her.”

 

Carol was entranced. Maria sounded so sophisticated when she spoke. Like she knew the words long before she was going to say them. The english language was nothing but putty in her hands, or her mouth. It was absolutely fascinating.

 

“Ms. Danvers?” Maria’s brows were furrowed.

 

“Yes! I’m sorry. I completely agree. I believe if any student can handle the subject matter, it’s her.” Carol glanced down at her notepad. They’d already gone through most of the talking points she’d written down. “All I want is to further her understanding. So, would it be alright if we set a schedule for me to discuss the novel with Monica? Outside of class? And when she finishes this one, which I’m sure won’t take long, we can continue to do the same with another text that she chooses.”

 

“I love that idea. As much as I loved the book, there are questions that even I can’t answer.” Maria responded.

 

“Great! Which days of the week work best for you? We have staff meetings after school every other Friday. Other than that my schedule is open.”

 

“What about Tuesdays and Thursdays directly after school? I can schedule my appointments around the meetings,” she said, drawing out the ends of some of the words. As if she was already mentally making the necessary adjustments. Carol almost lost herself trying to follow Maria’s train of thought. It was just so  _ interesting _ . Everything about her was. So, Carol tore her eyes away, picked at her fingernails, and cleared her throat.

 

“Yeah, that works great!” she said, paying very close attention to a pencil mark on the beige walls of the classroom. Maria didn’t respond, though. Carol met the other woman’s eyes. She seemed intrigued. Like she was trying to dig deeper than the words Carol said. Like she knew. Finally, she spoke.

 

“I’m glad we could work something out. Like I said, Monica loves this class, Ms. Danvers,” she said with a tone of finality in her voice that forced Carol to remember that the purpose of the meeting had been fulfilled.

 

“It’s my pleasure, Ms. Rambeau.” Carol replied with a wide smile.

 

“Maria.” The taller woman said, rising from her chair.

 

“Maria,” Carol corrected, silently willing away the blush spreading through her cheeks, “I’ll see you Thursday!” she said, standing as well.

 

“Thursday it is.” Maria grinned once more and walked out of the classroom at an achingly slow pace. She closed the door behind her for some reason, leaving Carol with her jaw on the floor.

 

Maria Rambeau would be the death of her.

  
  
  
  



End file.
